February 25, 2015, 9:31AM

March 17 is Saint Patrick's Day, but you don't have to serve the same old corned beef and cabbage. Potatoes are an Irish mainstay, and here are some options for turning the simple spud into something to celebrate. Whether you oven-bake or microwave your potatoes, with just a few ingredients you can transform them into a savory side or... Full story »

February 19, 2015, 10:21AM

With its delicate green rings, the common leek is a versatile root vegetable that adds a fresh green burst of flavor, especially wonderful this time of year. Its mellow flavor is perfect for those who detest strong onions, and it slices into thin rings perfect for garnishing. It might seem like the big strong cousin of the green onion,... Full story »

February 10, 2015, 3:04PM

You've heard the expression "Out of the frying pan, into the fire." Well, we're staying in the frying pan this week, but there's no reason to fear the skillet when you're putting it to good use making no-muss, no-fuss entrees. They offer up some good comfort food while we wait in anticipation for the weather to warm up. The... Full story »

February 06, 2015, 9:35AM

Growing up, I remember going to family gatherings on Sundays for brunch. One thing that was almost always a staple was the breakfast casserole. There were usually two kinds - one had sausage, egg and cheese, and the other had ham, egg and cheese. These tend to be the standards when it comes to breakfast casseroles, but there are... Full story »

January 27, 2015, 2:05PM

If you're still concentrating on those healthy resolutions you made on New Year's Day, this week's column features more helpful low-carb, low-calorie recipes. Plus, I have had several requests for more soup recipes. The Broccoli Chicken Noodle Soup is a gem of a winter soup recipe from a local jeweler. The calorie count for a one-cup serving comes in... Full story »

January 21, 2015, 11:52AM

She fanned out my choices like a deck of cards, different recipe options for dinner that all sounded fabulous. I was staying with my friend Melissa up at her cottage in Northern Michigan, and we were famished after a day of visiting wineries and shopping the Suttons Bay Art Fair. We settled on chickpea burgers, and after mashing them... Full story »

January 13, 2015, 1:14PM

What could be better on a cold winter's day than a bowl of soup? If you're tired of the same old standbys, try a different take with Cheesy Potato Florentine Soup. It has a 10-minute prep time and a 20-minute cooking time. This is a fix-it-and-eat-it soup – there's no need for a daylong process. Another fast-to-fix meal is... Full story »

January 08, 2015, 9:59AM

The Super Bowl, one of the nation's largest sporting events, is fast approaching and with it, lots of Super Bowl parties. There are so many things you can bring to a party, but the one Super Bowl party staple is wings. For a long time, when people thought of wings, they thought of the traditional Buffalo style, when you... Full story »

December 24, 2014, 10:52AM

My friend Abby has a wonderful stone path that leads through her herb garden, and between the stones are planted low growing thymes. As you make your way through the path, fragrances waft upward with each crushed leaf, a delightful experience. The same is true of cooking with thyme, because the succulent fresh leaves add tiny bursts of flavor... Full story »

December 16, 2014, 1:38PM

With the New Year coming so close on the heels of Christmas, this time of year gives you lots of opportunities to gather family and friends around the table. The entertaining could be elegant or relaxed, a buffet, or just appetizers and drinks. This short selection of recipes can be presented and served in any of those ways. If... Full story »

December 03, 2014, 11:13AM

A simple but elegant meal is often on the holiday wish list. This week's recipes feature some ideas that can make that happen for you. The staple holiday ham, ordinary carrots and a Christmas cookie are each dressed up for the occasion. For the main entrée, Baked Burgundy Ham is sophisticated, but will come to the holiday table with... Full story »

November 25, 2014, 10:55AM

This time of year begs for a steaming selection of roasted vegetables, and recently I added something new to an old recipe. Next to the rutabagas at the market were fresh bunches of beets, very unattractive in their rough skin. Even though they have been cultivated for over 2,000 years, they seem to be the new darling of the... Full story »

November 19, 2014, 11:06AM

With the holidays coming up, it's time to get baking. These cookies and bars are some of my favorites to share at family gatherings or to add to the Christmas plates I make up for the neighbors. My aunt gets credit for first introducing me to the wonder of Creme de Menthe brownies. They are the perfect ratio of... Full story »

November 11, 2014, 11:39AM

It's the week of Thanksgiving, and plans are in the works for the day of gathering family and friends around the table. Thinking ahead, here is a recipe using the extra turkey, broccoli and carrots you might have left over. The Turkey Rice Casserole is loaded with veggies, turkey, cheese and seasonings, but not a cream soup. This is... Full story »

November 07, 2014, 10:07AM

Thanksgiving is upon us and that means lots of family, friends and food. One thing that I look forward to, aside from the turkey, are all the delicious sides, and one of my favorites is sweet potatoes. There are a lot of ways you can prepare sweet potatoes; one of the most common ways at Thanksgiving is candied yams.... Full story »

October 30, 2014, 9:22AM

Time. Everybody needs more time, to get everything done on time, to find time-saving ideas, and on it goes. My next couple of columns will give recipes that I hope will help you plan out the holidays ahead in a timely manner. By using your spare time now, you can save time later. Cranberries have been coming into their... Full story »

October 24, 2014, 9:17AM

Thanksgiving is coming, so most of us get out the same recipes for the standards that are prepared each year. You know the ones. They get eaten, by and large, because we usually have a good-sized group. I do find the dessert table is a challenge, because my kids do not like many of the traditional pies, including pumpkin... Full story »

October 15, 2014, 10:48AM

This is a week for silly, scary fun, with treats and parties for all ages. A great treat for munching on as you answer the door for trick-or-treaters is this Cinnamon Snack Mix. The recipe yields about 9½ cups of snack mix, and it's somewhat healthy, with toasted oat cereal like Cheerios, dry roasted peanuts, pretzels and raisins. For... Full story »

October 08, 2014, 2:40PM

Fall has finally arrived, and with it comes the color change, the fall harvest and of course, Oktoberfest. This is a great time for all the beer drinkers out there, but it's not just about the beer, it's about the food, too. Oktoberfest is an annual celebration of food and beer in Munich, Germany. There are many different foods... Full story »

October 02, 2014, 9:50AM

Jeff Swainston|Mlive.com No, we're not going to New York City, we are staying right here in Michigan and going all out "apple." The apples are as close to you as they are going to get, from bagged Michigan apples in the produce section, to seasonal farm stands, to local U-pick spots. Those U-Pick places are a fall day must.... Full story »